Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
I bought a scooter and I rented a shack
Out in the sun, by the railroad track
I got a job and I'm a-breakin' my back
Workin' and workin' for the big payback
I keep a puttin' and a puttin' out
I keep a sweatin' like all get out
I work so long that I'm a losin' track
Waitin', waitin' on the big payback
Well, it's a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, look out Sam
It's a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
They got your neck in the noose, you're draggin' long in back
Chasin' and chasin' the big payback
Oh what my foreman does well I don't know
He just throws me a shovel and yells go, Bobby, go
Oh well a all day long he's just a diddy wack wack
While I'm sweatin' and sweatin' the big payback
Well, it's a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, look out Sam
It's a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
They got your neck in the noose, you're hands are tied up in back
Workin' and workin' for the big payback
I quit that job, and Mister I ain't goin' back
Got me a knife and she's a long and black
I'll tell you how I make my piece at night Mac
Down in the alley of the big payback
I go a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, c'mon man
You're a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
I got your neck in the noose and I don't give a damn, Jack
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
Out in the sun, by the railroad track
I got a job and I'm a-breakin' my back
Workin' and workin' for the big payback
I keep a puttin' and a puttin' out
I keep a sweatin' like all get out
I work so long that I'm a losin' track
Waitin', waitin' on the big payback
Well, it's a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, look out Sam
It's a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
They got your neck in the noose, you're draggin' long in back
Chasin' and chasin' the big payback
Oh what my foreman does well I don't know
He just throws me a shovel and yells go, Bobby, go
Oh well a all day long he's just a diddy wack wack
While I'm sweatin' and sweatin' the big payback
Well, it's a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, look out Sam
It's a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
They got your neck in the noose, you're hands are tied up in back
Workin' and workin' for the big payback
I quit that job, and Mister I ain't goin' back
Got me a knife and she's a long and black
I'll tell you how I make my piece at night Mac
Down in the alley of the big payback
I go a wham, bam, thank you ma'am, god damn, c'mon man
You're a gone dead train rumblin' down this track
I got your neck in the noose and I don't give a damn, Jack
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
I'm on that long lost highway of the big payback
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Sunglasses at Night
Corey Hart
Corey Hart
In the 1980s, sunglasses were a common fashion for people who wanted to adopt a "tough guy" persona (note all the cop shows from that era -- Simon & Simon, Miami Vice, etc. -- where the lead characters wore shades). So I think this song is about a guy who wears shades as a way of hiding his insecurity after learning that his girlfriend is cheating on him. He's trying to pretend that he's a "tough guy" to hide the fact that his girlfriend's affair is disturbing him.
B-side of the ‘Atlantic City’ single - nice little tune, was also on the Bootleg ‘Another Side of Bruce Springsteen’.
Not unlike ‘Straight Time’ (off of Ghost of Tom Joad) insofar as subject matter...it’s aboutwhat is going on inside of a working man, and he thinks about “breaking bad”.